A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 66

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 806

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Mr. Larimer has always given his sup- port to the Republican party and its princi- ples, casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was a delegate to the state convention of his party in 1896, and has also

been a delegate to county and district con- ventions at various times. In 1890 he was census enumerator for Richland township and also served in that capacity for the census of 1900. Fraternally he is identified with Lodge No. 742, I. O. O. F., at Greenville, in which he has passed all the chairs; and i also with Jobes Post, G. A. R., at Greenville, thus keeping alive his interest in his old com- 1 rades in arms, whose ranks are so rapidly being decimated by the ravages of time.

HARRISON A. KEPNER.

It is always of interest to study the his- tory of a self-made man, to examine into the secret of his success and to determine the qualities which have led to his pros- perity. It is this understanding of the methods which have been followed and which have "led on to fortune" that have made biography, as Carlyle expresses it, "the most universally profitable and the erecting a beautiful brick residence in 1879. | most universally pleasant of all studies."

Mr. Kepner, after long and honorable con- nection with business affairs, is now living retired, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned. For many years he was identified with the business interests of Arcanum, and his activity proved an important element in the commercial prosperity and progress of the community.

Harrison Augustus Kepner is a repre- sentative of one of the old families of Penn- sylvania. His grandfather, Jacob Kepner. was born near Port Royal in Juniata coun- ty, and was twice married. He first wedded a Miss Gross and after her death married Sarah Eliza Dupes, who survived him for some years. He died upon his farm in Penn- sylvania about 1848. By his first marriage he had three children: John; Catherine,

H. A. Renner

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who became the wife of David Suloff and died in Patterson, Pennsylvania ; and Jacob. The children of the second marriage were Elizabeth, who married Samuel Aughey and died in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, in February, 1900; Henry, who married Cath- erine Rice and died at Sandy Hill, Perry county, Pennsylvania; Sarah, who married Samuel Rice and died in Port Royal, Penn- sylvania, where her husband also departed this life : Christina, a resident of the Key- stone state, who married Jacob Hertzler, but is now the widow of George Heikes; Ben- jamin, who wedded Margaret Frankhauser and died in July, 1900; Polly, who became the wife of George Boyer and died in May, 1900; and Samuel, who died in July, 1900. He married Barbara Kohler and after her death wedded Carrie Dukeman, who also is now deceased.

Jacob Kepner, Jr., the father of our sub- ject, was born on the old homestead in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and received a common-school education. In his native county he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Knawel, who was born near McAllisterville, Juniata county, in 1808. Some time after his marriage he located be- tween Millerstown and Newport, in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and thence removed across the river to the Mitchell farm. Sub- sequently he purchased one hundred acres of land near Milford, Perry county, and there engaged in farming for a number of years. Upon that farm his wife died in 1880. Some time afterward he visited his son, Harrison, in Ohio, and upon his return wedded Mary Reisinger, of Ickesburg, Perry county. He spent his last years in Milford, in retirement from active labor. and died June 16, 1888. He was a stanch Democrat in politics, and in his religions 31

views was a Lutheran. Of his eleven chil- dren, Wilhelmina, the eldest, died in infancy ; Edward died at the age of eighteen years: William T., who married a Miss Mayer. and after her death wedded Mary Clark, of New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, and died at his home in Lima, Ohio, in December .. 1899; Harrison A. is the next in order of birth; Margaret became the wife of James Hostetter and died in Juniata county, Penn - sylvania; Martha died in childhood; Cath- erine is the wife of Howard Andrews, of Newport, Pennsylvania ; John is a resident of Greenville, Ohio; Theodore makes his home in Lima, Ohio; Samuel died at the age of ten years; and Lloyd L. is also de- ceased.

Harrison A. Kepner, whose name intro- duces this review, was born May 14, 1836, in the old stone house which was the home of his parents at the time they resided in Perry county, Pennsylvania, between New- port and Millerstown. He was reared to manhood on his father's farm near Milford, acquired a good practical education in the public schools and at the age of sixteen be- gan teaching in the Thompson Lock school. During the summer he attended the highi school at Markleville and completed his edu- cation in the Port Royal Academy. He taught the Thompson Lock school for one term and then accepted a position as teacher in the Gilfillen school at Pfout's valley, in Perry county, where he received forty-five dollars per month,-a much larger salary than it was customary to pay at that time, but his ability to teach both English and German gained for him the larger compensa- tion. He afterward continued his educa- tional labors near Loysville, Perry county, and at Center, Juniata county.

Having acquired some capital as the re-

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sult of his energy and economy, Mr. Kepner traveled west and visited Chicago, Iowa City and other points. He then went to the home of his uncle, Joseph Rouslı, in Lima, Ohio, where he was employed in a saw-mill for a few months. During those years, through practical experience, he had gained a good knowledge of the carpenter's trade, which he subsequently followed in Darke county through the summer months for a number of years, while in the winter season he engaged in teaching for eight years. It was in the spring of 1859 that he located in Neave township, Darke county, where he owned and operated a farm for three years. In: 1867 he removed to Arcanum, where he engaged in hardware business with marked success for seventeen years. He also as- sisted in organizing the First National Bank of Arcanum and served as its vice-president until October 10, 1898, when he resigned, since which time he has lived retired, en- joying a well earned rest. He is a director and vice-president of the Troy Wagon Works, located at Troy, Ohio, and was one of the original incorporators.

In Neave township, on the 4th of Sep- tember, 1859, Mr. Kepner was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Brumbaugh, a daughter of George Brumbaugh. She died in 1893, and on the 20th of February, 1895, Mr. Kepner wedded Miss Josephine Ivester. of Arcanum, who died in 1896, leaving one child, Helen Beatrice. There were three children born of the first marriage, but Will- amina Alverda died in infancy. Clara C. is now the wife of Nathan W. Bloom, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Harry V. was grad- uated in the Arcanum high school and later entered Delaware College, in which he was graduated with the class of 1890. He after- ward engaged in teaching for two terms in

the high school at Sidney, Ohio, was the principal of the high school at Pueblo. Col- orado, for two terms, and resigned the latter position to become a teacher in the high school at Denver, where he is at present lo- cated; lie married Miss May Fritz, of Holmes county, Ohio; and Bertha, who died it1 1891, at the age of fourteen years.

Mr. Kepner, of this review, has always been a loyal and devoted American citizen, true to the best interests of the nation and unfaltering in support of its policy and its institutions. During the civil war, when one dollar in gold was worth two dollars and seventy-five cents in paper money, he con- verted one hundred dollars into greenbacks and also the amount he had received on his farm, having received payment for the prop- erty in gold. During these turbulent times he never lost faith in the government or its ability to redeem its pledges. In early life he took an active part in political affairs and during the campaign of 1856 supported Bu- chanan, delivering many campaign ad- dresses through Perry county. He lias al- ways been a stanch Democrat. For several years he served as mayor of Arcanum, was a justice of the peace in Neave township for six years, and in Arcanum was elected to the same office in 1869, serving twenty-four years. In the early '70s he became identi- fied with the Masonic fraternity, has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is one of the active and exemplary mem- brs of the craft in this locality. He attended the triennial conclave at New Orleans in 1877; Chicago in 1880; San Francisco in 1883; St. Louis in 1886; Washington, D. C .. in 1889; Denver in 1892; Boston in 1895, and Pittsburg in 1898. At the last named place he met with an accident. While attempting to board a street car or just after

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lie had stepped on, he was thrown violently to the pavement and suffered severe injuries, from which he has never recovered. Mr. Kepner has a beautiful home in Arcanım, which was built in 1887 and is of red brick. Amid pleasant surroundings he is spending his days quietly, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned. Through an active busi- ness career, as the results of capable man- agement and straightforward dealing, he ac- quired a handsome competence, which sup- plies him with all the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. His record has ever been honorable and worthy of emulation, and he belongs to that class of straight- forward, industrious and highly respected citizens who constitute the best portion of the community.

GEORGE W. HILL.

A representative of one of the old fam- ilies of Darke county, Ohio, and a leading figure in the business enterprise of the little town of Glen Karn, is found in the subject of this sketch, George W. Hill, the proprietor of Glen Karn Hotel.

Mr. Hill was born in Harrison town- ship, Darke county, Ohio, November 2, 1852, the seventh of the family of nine chil- dren of Hugh L. and Elizabeth (Kunkle) Hill. Hugh L. Hill has passed eighty-three continuous years in this county, lie having been brought to Harrison township when he was two years old. When his son, George W., was two years old the family removed from Harrison to German township, and on a farm in this township the subject of our sketch was reared. He was engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits for a number of years. He then turned his attention to the merchan- dising business, which he followed for about

five years. In 1895 lie built the Glen Karn Hotel, which he has since conducted, and in connection with which he is also running a grocery and livery and feed business.

November 7, 1877, Mr. Hill married Miss Ella Thomas. Mrs. Hill is a native of German township, and a daughter of S. S. and Caroline (Berry) Thomas, the former a native of Greene county, Ohio, and the lat- ter of Jay county, Indiana. She was the second born in their family of ten children, six of whom are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are the parents of six children, namely : Caroline, the wife of Harry H. T. Jones, a farmer of this county, and they have one daughter, Emel; Lulu May, who died at the age of three months; Herschel Thomas and Grace W., at home; and two died in in- fancy.

Mrs. Hill is the postmistress at Glen Karn, and is assisted in the duties of the office by her husband. Both are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hollansburg, in which he is a deacon and an active worker. Politically he gives his support to the Republican party.

FREDERICK COPPESS.

While great credit is justly due to those who have aided in the progress and magnifi- cent development of these latter days, it was upon the pioneers that the greater responsi- bility was placed ; theirs the greater obstacles to overcome; theirs to lay the foundations and to initiate the work whose results have been cumulative and have conserved the ma- terial prosperity of our nation. One of the honored pioneers of historic old Darke coul- ty is he whose name forms the caption of this article, and it is with much satisfaction that we direct attention to his career in this con-

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nection. Mr. Coppess, who can well recall the period when our beautiful and prosper- ous county was almost a wilderness, has the distinction of being a native son of the coun- ty and of being a representative of a pioneer of pioneers. He was born in Richland township on the 27th of June, 1830, being the second in order of birth of the ten chil- dren-five sons and five daughters-of Peter and Mary ( Hartle) Coppess. Of the chil- dren only three are living at the present time, the following brief record being con- sistently entered relative to the family : Hi- ram, who was a soldier in the civil war, is now deceased; Catharine, the widow of D. W. Kersner, is a resident of Dawn, this county, her husband having likewise served in the war of the Rebellion; Frederick, the next in order of birth, is the direct subject of this review; Benton, a resident of the city of Chicago, ranks among the oldest rail- road engineers in the Union, his record in this line having been one of much importance and interest, as he has incidentally had in- trusted to him many thousands of dollars' worth of property and the safeguarding of many lives, having been employed on the Baltimore & Ohio, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and other leading railway lines, and being still in the harness, as a valued engineer of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad ; he is married and is com- fortably placed in life, being a man of broad experience and knowledge and one who has ever been faithful to the responsible duties committed to him.

Peter Coppess was born in 1801, in North Carolina, and his death occurred in 1879. He was reared upon the farm and received his educational training in the com- mon schools of the place and period. When lic was about ten years of age his father,

Adamı Coppess, and his uncle, Peter Cop- pess, came through from their southern home to Cincinnati, where the two brothers sep- arated, Adam coming to Greene county and locating not far from the present city of Xenia, where he remained two years, with- in which time the Indian war of 1812 broke out and the settlers were forced to take refuge in the block houses which were erect- ed for protection from the hostile red men. The father of our subject could well remem- ber the incidents of the Indian war and the troubles and privations endured by the hardy pioneers of the Buckeye state. He was about fourteen years of age when his fa- ther came to Darke county, which was then a practical wilderness, with here and there the rude cabin of the pioneer of the frontier, and the present attractive city of Greenville, which now has a population of about eight thousand, was then marked by a fort and was known as Fort Greenville, a place of refuge for the settlers when menaced by the crafty Indians, who were far more numerous than white men throughout this section. Here the family located on a farm in Richland township, the same being a heavily timbered tract, and when danger threatened from the Indians they took refuge in old Fort Briar, which was located on Stillwater creek, in the eastern part of the township. When a little girl the mother of our subject was on one occasion sitting on a stone in the middle of the creek, when an Indian approached in his canoe and, paddling close to ler, gave her a wild duck. She was much frightened but her fears were dispelled by the friendly action of the dusky son of the forest. In her childhood she was often detailed to op- erate the old "horse fiddle," whose doleful groans were supposed to be efficacious in frightening the crow's and squirrels from the

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little corn patch, which was jealously guard- ed against the inroads of these pests. Fa- ther Coppess killed many deer in this lo- cality in the early days, and our subject him- self can recall that in his boyhood bears were still plentiful in this section, and on one occasion he narrowly escaped attack from a savage old she bear, having fortunately found refuge in the liome of a neighbor. Father Coppess was one of those sturdy pio- neers who gave of brain and brawn to the opening of the wilderness to cultivation, and to such must ever be given a tribute of re- spect and honor for the efforts which led to the magnificent results which the present generations are permitted to enjoy.

Peter Coppess was a Democrat of the true Jacksonian type, was firm in his con- victions and was always ready to defend the principles which he advocated. Though he had received but limited educational ad- vantages, he was a man of much intellect- ual vigor and mature judgment, being al- ways ready to give his support to measures looking to the public good and being a stanch friend of the cause of popular education. His wife, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was a member of the Christian church and was a woman of gentle and winning character and many noble attributes. Her memory is en- shrined in the hearts of all who knew her, for her life was filled with kindly words and deeds.

Frederick Coppess, whose name intro- duces this sketch, has spent almost three- fourths of a century in this, his native coun- ty, and here he is held in the highest esteem as an influential citizen and a worthy repre- sentative of our best pioneer stock. He re- ceived his education in the primitive district schools of the early days, his third teacher being John Bidwell, who afterward was for

half a century a resident of California and was nominated for president by the Pro- hibition party ; and his first school days were passed in the little log school house, with its puncheon floor and slab seats and benches, light being admitted through the opening made by leaving a portion of a log out of the north end of the building, while in the winter the cheery fireplace, with its great back-log, made the little room com- paratively comfortable for the little band of students. To avoid the winter blasts the window mentioned was covered with greased paper, which served in lieu of glass. In the discipline of the school the birch or hazel switch was brought into frequent requisi- tion-in harmony with the old aphorism : "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Mr. Coppess gives a graphic and interesting ac- count of these good old days when the "young idea" was gaining the seeds of knowledge, and the recounting brings into sharp contrast the superior advantages en- joyed by the youth of to-day. The amuse- ments provided by the pioneers included the apple-parings, corn-huskings, taffy-pulls and spelling bees, and the homely gatherings were animated by a true social spirit which made each person feel that he was among friends who were close to him in sympathy and personal interest.

Mr. Coppess has known through per- sonal experience what hard work is and he has the greatest respect for the dignity of honest toil. He began as a wage-earner at the early age of sixteen, his daily stipend ranging from twenty-five to fifty cents, and many a day has he assisted in garnering the grain with the old-fashioned four- fingered cradle, and he can recall that the labor was one which was a test of endurance and strength and one in which he was able

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to.make a record for himself. The transi- tion in this line, as in all other phases of in- dustrial and social life, seems almost in- credible when we consider that the memory of a living man covers the entire period from the old pioneer days to the present end- of-the-century period.

Mr. Coppess has been twice married, his first wife dying without issue. On May 25, 1890, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Ella ( Hartle) Shields, and they are the par- ents of two sons-Forrest Benton, a bright and ambitious youth, now attending the pub- lic schools; and Frederick H., the youngster, who lends brightness and cheer to the home circle. Mrs. Coppess is a daughter of Solo- mon and Sarah Ann E. ( Warvel ) Hartle, wlio were the parents of two sons and two daugli- ters, all of whom are still residents of Darke county, The father was- a soldier in the civil war, being a member of Company E, Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and he did valiant service at the front, having been taken prisoner and having experienced the horrors of the prison pens of Libby and An- dlersonville, his death taking place in the for- mer, where his life was sacrificed on the al- tar of liis country. He was a native of Darke county, and was numbered among the pioneers of this section of the state. H was not an ultra-partisan in his political views, and in religion was a member of the Christian church, as was also his wife. By trade he was a blacksmith.

Mrs. Coppess was born in Darke county, February 14, 1854, and here received her education in the public schools. Her first husband was William V. Shields, and of this union one daughter was born, Josie El- len, wife of John Hoobler, who is an ener- getic and prosperous young farmer of the

county. They have two daughters, Dora O. and Lottie.

Mr. Coppess' first purchase of land com- prised sixty acres, with no improvements. He set himself vigorously to the work of clearing and improving his farm, and his long years of steady and indefatigable in- dustry have brought their reward, and he now has one of the fine farms of this favored section of the great Buckeye state. He has cleared all of his land, has put in about one thousand rods of tiling and has erected ex- cellent buildings, including a commodious and attractive residence. He now owns one hundred and forty acres of rich and pro- ductive land, and upon this is no financial in- cumbrance of any sort, a fact which shows what may be accomplished through diligence and wisely directed industry. Mr. Coppess has been successful in life and has richly merited this success. In all the relations of life he has been honorable and upright, and his character has gained and retained to him the confidence and high regard of those among whom he has lived and labored to stich goodly ends. His first presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce, but in later years he has given his support to the princi- pies and policies of the Republican party. But he has always been guided by his own judgment, not being bound by partisan ties, and always supporting the men who in his judgment stood for the principles that would benefit tlie country at large. He is well in- formed in regard to the political history of the country, and his personal recollections touch many of the critical and interesting phases. In the early days Mr. Coppess held distinction among the pioneers by reason of his prowess as a rail-splitter, and his record in the line is one to which he reverts withi

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peculiar satisfaction. He has endured the hardships and deprivations incidental to frontier life. has had his quota of disappoint- ments, but he has maintained an unflinching courage and has shown that true manhood which invariably makes for success and honor. He was chosen a trustee of Rich- land township at the time of Lincoln's sec- ond election, and the war caused great dis- satisfaction in this section, but he was firm in upholding the cause of abolition, casting his vote at the time for Salmon P. Chase as governor of Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Coppess are consistent members of the Christian church at Beam- ville, and he was a member of the building committee at the time the church edifice was erected, contributing liberally of his time and means to the work. He has aided financially in the building of three churches in his lo- cality, being ever ready to encourage good works and being broad and charitable in his views. Mrs. Coppess is a woman of gentle refinement and true courtesy, presiding with grace and dignity over the home and having the love and esteem of a wide circle of friends. In this compilation, which is to leave a perpetual record of those who have lived and wrought to goodly ends in this beautiful section of the Buckeye state, it is with singular propriety that recognition be given to Mr. and Mrs. Coppess, as among our representative people, and as coming from the worthy pioneer stock which so honored and advanced the county of Darke.

JOHN S. COPPESS.

The sturdy pioneers of Darke county are those to whom the fullest mead of honor is to be attributed since they came here in the early days and wrested from the hand of

nature the treasures which she had in store, developing the sylvan wilds into rich and productive farms and opening up the high- way along which progress should later march in majesty and power. The subject of this review is one who has figured as a pioneer of historic old Darke county, which is one of the finest agricultural sections of the state, and in this specific genealogical work touching the county his name and deeds and ancestral record should find a conspicuous place. Mr. Coppess is a native son of the county in which he has lived and labored to such goodly ends, the date of his birth hav- ing been October 25, 1830, and the place being Richland township, which has been his home during all the long intervening years. He was the sixth of the twelve chil- dren of Devault and Mary (Smith) Cop- pess, there having been seven sous and five daughters, of whom only four are now liv- ing, namely : Adam, a retired farmer and a carpenter and joiner by trade, now resides in Union City, being a widower and having one child; John S. is the immediate subject of this sketch ; Catherine is the wife of Adam Brewer, a farmer of Adams township, this county ; and Chipman, a farmer by occupa- tion, is a resident of Union City, Indiana. The lineage of the family in the agnatic line traces back to pure German origin and the name has been long identified with the annals of American history.

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 66

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 806

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 806